NME ARTISTS

Stereophonics

Biography

Stereophonics are a Welsh rock band that formed in 1992 in the village of Cwmaman in Cynon Valley, Wales. The band currently comprises Kelly Jones (lead vocals and guitar), Richard Jones (bass guitar and backing vocals), Adam Zindani (guitar and backing vocals), Jamie Morrison (drums) and touring member Tony Kirkham (keyboards). The group originally included Stuart Cable (1992-2003) and Javier Weyler (2004-2012) on drums. Stereophonics have released eight studio albums, including five consecutive UK number one albums, their latest album being 2013's Graffiti on the Train. A successful compilation album, Decade in the Sun, was released in November 2008 and charted at number two in the United Kingdom.

Described as "classic UK rock delivered with whiskey vocals," the band have been summarised as possessing a sound akin to the genres of alternative rock and "British traditional rock". Stereophonics' debut album, Word Gets Around, was released in August 1997 and charted at number six in the UK, aided by the singles "Local Boy in the Photograph", "More Life in a Tramps Vest" and "A Thousand Trees". The band reached mainstream success with the release of Performance and Cocktails (and its promotional singles "The Bartender and the Thief", "Just Looking" and "Pick a Part That's New") in 1999 and have achieved a total of ten top-ten singles as well as one number one: 2005's "Dakota". Having sold around 9 million copies worldwide, Stereophonics are one of the most successful Welsh rock acts. Upon their release of Pull the Pin, they became the eighth group to achieve five consecutive UK number one albums (after The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, ABBA, Genesis, Oasis, Blur and U2).

The band have also been praised for their live performances, which have landed them headlining slots at many of the UK and Ireland's most high-profile music festivals, including Reading and Leeds in 2000, Glastonbury in 2002, V festival in 2002, the Isle of Wight in 2004 and 2009, and Oxegen in 2010. The band is part of the Cardiff music scene.